Press Release Headlines

Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division Selects TIPS for the University for Alcohol Training and Education on Four Campuses

ARLINGTON, Va., May 2, 2006 — The Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division has received a federal grant entitled Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). A portion of the federal grant requires alcohol training and education to be conducted at selected state colleges and universities for students and faculty. After conducting a nationwide search, the Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division selected Health Communications, Inc. to provide specialized training and education through its TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) for the University program.

TIPS for the University provides students with the knowledge and confidence necessary to reduce high-risk drinking behavior among their peers. More than 1,200 campuses nationwide have implemented TIPS for the University.

"TIPS training offers a highly specialized alcohol education program that pertains specifically to the college and university environment. In addition, they have over 20 years of experience in providing training that prevents underage drinking, drunk driving and intoxication," said Ken Peterson, Colorado Liquor Enforcement Chief. "Their program has been proven effective and we want to see results," he added.

The University of Colorado at Boulder, Mesa State College, the University of Northern Colorado, and Colorado State University at Fort Collins have each been awarded part of the grant. The grant will include a TIPS Train-the-Trainer Workshop and TIPS Student Manuals. With trainer-level certification, college administrators and students become certified to train the student body in the TIPS concepts and strategies. The certified trainers then offer TIPS training to the student body with a message that is tailored to their own institutional culture and needs. "Universities have found success through face-to-face training. Having a TIPS trainer on campus is a convenient way to meet alcohol education goals and ensure that the entire student body is trained," said Trevor Estelle, University Program Manager for the TIPS program. To certify as a TIPS trainer, an individual must attend a one-day workshop and successfully complete the trainer-level certification exam. After successfully completing the workshop, TIPS trainers can offer a comprehensive two-hour program that helps students make sound choices when faced with difficult decisions about alcohol use.

"TIPS will allow us to create an environment, especially among first-year students, that promotes the positive behaviors we know they engage in. The collaboration between law enforcement, residence life and us [Alcohol Prevention and Education Services] enhances student awareness of health and safety issues, and protects the welfare of students with positive reinforcement," said Pam McCracken, Director of Drug & Alcohol Education at Colorado State University. She will be hosting a TIPS workshop on May 23, 2006. Other grant recipients plan on offering the train-the-trainer workshop within the next few months and hope to begin training their students by the fall semester.

Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) was founded by the Health Education Foundation and Dr. Morris Chafetz, founding director of the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, HCI offers TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS), eTIPS, CAST (Certified Alcohol Seller Training), ASSET (Alcohol Sales/Service Education & Training) and customized training programs. HCI is a nationally recognized expert in the field of alcohol server training. Its flagship program, TIPS, was the first of its kind and continues to set industry standards for this type of training. Numerous public officials and government agencies have recognized and endorsed TIPS training as life-saving and critical to the progress made in reducing alcohol-related injuries and deaths.

Contact:
Trevor Estelle
703-524-1200 ext. 357
Email

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